Social Care

Posted on: 3 November 2026

Dear Member,

Earlier this year, GMB wrote to ministers and pressed the Government to protect migrant care workers who came to the UK to support our social care system during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

We argued that care workers who answered Britain's call should not have the goalposts moved after they had already built lives, careers and families here.

Alongside our representations to ministers, GMB surveyed hundreds of migrant care workers and highlighted widespread concerns about visa insecurity, exploitation and the impact any extension to the route to settlement would have on the workforce.

What GMB Campaigned For

We called on Government to:

• Retain the existing five-year route to settlement for care workers already living and working in the UK.
• Protect workers who came here in good faith under the existing rules.
• Provide stronger protections for workers facing exploitation and abuse.
• Ensure workers affected by sponsor licence revocations were not unfairly penalised for their employer's actions.
• Continue funding support programmes that help displaced care workers find alternative employment.
• Improve support services, including pastoral assistance and access to regulated immigration advice.
• Give workers greater flexibility to move between employers where sponsorship arrangements break down.

We also supported calls for continued funding of regional international recruitment support programmes, which have helped thousands of workers navigate sponsorship issues and secure alternative employment.

Read the letters to Government here:
Letter to Home Office - Migrant Care Workers.pdf

Letter to Department for Health and Social Care - Migrant Care Workers.pdf

What Government Has Now Announced

Following its Earned Settlement consultation, the Government has announced a specific transitional arrangement for care workers.

This means that care workers who entered, or switched into, the Health and Care visa route before publication of the Immigration White Paper in May 2025 will retain the current five-year route to settlement, provided they meet the relevant salary, sponsorship and employment requirements.

This is a significant recognition that care workers are a unique group who came to the UK to address workforce shortages and support the care sector.

The Government has also recognised the challenges faced by workers whose employers lose their sponsor licence.

From February 2027, care workers affected by sponsor licence revocation will receive longer than other sponsored workers to secure alternative employment and regularise their immigration status.

The Government has further committed to continuing support for care workers who become displaced through sponsorship failures and helping them find new employment in the sector.

What GMB Has Won

GMB members and migrant care workers helped secure:

✅ Retention of the five-year settlement route for eligible care workers who were already in the system before May 2025.

✅ Recognition by Government that care workers represent a unique workforce whose contribution deserves special consideration.

✅ Continued support for displaced migrant care workers seeking new employment.

✅ Extended time periods for workers affected by sponsor licence revocation to secure new employment and resolve their immigration status.

✅ Government acknowledgement that workers should not automatically lose everything when employers fail to meet their obligations.

These are important wins for workers who have spent years caring for vulnerable people across our communities.

The Fight Continues

While we welcome these changes, there is still more to do.

GMB remains concerned about the exploitation many migrant care workers continue to face. Our survey found that four in ten migrant care workers reported unfair treatment linked to their visa status, while many described threats, intimidation and abuse within sponsorship arrangements.

We will continue to campaign for:

• Stronger protections for workers who report exploitation.
• Faster action against employers who abuse sponsorship arrangements.
• Better support for displaced workers.
• Fair routes between employers where sponsorship breaks down.
• Ethical recruitment practices across the social care sector.
• Dignity, respect and security for all care workers.

These workers came to Britain to care for our loved ones and strengthen our care system. GMB will continue to fight to ensure they receive the fairness, protection and respect they deserve.

In solidarity,

Natalie Grayson
National Officer
GMB Union

Posted on: 3 November 2026

Across the UK, migrant care workers provide essential care and support every day. You care for people when they need it most, often while carrying significant pressures of your own.

To better understand your experiences, GMB surveyed almost 750 migrant care workers across Britain. The results show that too many workers are facing insecurity, financial hardship and fear because of a visa system that leaves them vulnerable to exploitation.

What You Told Us

The survey found that:

• 86% of migrant care workers are concerned about losing their visa status, with nearly three-quarters saying they are very concerned.
• 40% have experienced unfair treatment because of their visa status.
• 77% are not always able to meet their basic living costs.
• 38.5% took on debt to come and work in the UK.
• 70% said visa concerns affect their wellbeing or family life.
• 46.5% have considered leaving the UK.
• 79% know colleagues who have left either the care sector or the country.
• 62.5% spent £15,000 or more to secure employment and relocate to Britain.

These figures tell a powerful story. Many migrant care workers are making huge sacrifices to support the UK's care system while living with uncertainty about their future.

What Workers Are Experiencing

Many of you told us that being tied to an employer through sponsorship can leave workers feeling powerless.

Some workers said they had been bullied, intimidated or treated unfairly because employers knew their visa status depended on keeping their job. Others said they felt unable to challenge poor treatment or raise concerns for fear of losing their sponsorship.

One worker told GMB:

"My boss threatened my sponsorship could be withdrawn, just because I declined to come in and cover an extra shift while I was on annual leave."

Others described being treated "like slaves" by "ruthless and unfair" employers.

No care worker should have to live with that fear.

GMB Is Taking Your Concerns to Government

GMB has not remained silent.

Over recent months, GMB has written two separate letters to the Government raising concerns about the treatment of migrant care workers.

In one letter, GMB challenged the decision to exclude many care workers from future routes to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), warning that workers who have dedicated years to caring for people in Britain deserve security and a clear pathway to settlement.

NG to Home Office - Migrant Care Workers.pdf

In a second letter, GMB highlighted evidence of exploitation within the sponsorship system, including reports of workers facing intimidation, unfair treatment and threats linked to their immigration status. The union called for stronger protections and action against unscrupulous employers who abuse the system.

NG to Department for Health and Social Care - Migrant Care Workers.pdf

These concerns are not theoretical. They come directly from the experiences workers have shared with GMB.

What GMB Is Fighting For

GMB is calling for:

• A fair route to permanent settlement for migrant care workers.
• Stronger protections for anyone reporting exploitation or abuse.
• The ability to change employer without risking immigration status.
• Robust enforcement against employers who misuse sponsorship arrangements.
• Greater respect and security for the workers who keep our care system running.

You Deserve Better

Migrant care workers came to Britain to build lives, support their families and provide vital care to others.

The care sector depends on your skills, compassion and commitment. Yet too many workers are living with uncertainty and fear.

GMB believes every care worker deserves dignity, respect and security, regardless of where they were born.

We will continue to campaign, organise and speak up for migrant care workers. Most importantly, we will continue ensuring that your experiences are heard by employers, policymakers and Government.

You are not alone. Your voice matters. And together we can build a care sector that values and protects everyone who works in it.

Natalie Grayson

National Care Organiser

Posted on: 31 July 2026

Dear Members,

GMB Union is stepping up our campaign to win real changes for migrant care workers in the UK, but we need your input now. If you are working in social care on a visa or rely on employer sponsorship to remain in the UK, it is essential that you complete this survey. You should complete this survey if you are working in care in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland on any type of visa, or if you need employer sponsorship to work in the UK. If this does not apply to you, please share this with colleagues who it does apply to.

GMB will keep all individual responses strictly confidential and will only share overall results.

Please click on the link below to complete the survey:

GMB Union Migrant Care Workers Campaign Survey

Posted on: 24 July 2026

GMB has welcomed HC-One's announcement that it is significantly widening eligibility for visa sponsorship from 1 August following sustained campaigning and intervention by the union on behalf of members.

The revised policy means that eligible Care Assistants, Senior Care Assistants and Nurses will now be considered for sponsorship after just three months' service in a permanent role. This replaces a far more restrictive approach that had left many workers facing uncertainty about their future.

The change follows months of engagement by GMB after members raised concerns about sponsorship delays, changing eligibility requirements and the impact these issues were having on their ability to continue living and working in the UK.

GMB challenged HC-One's approach directly, including proposals that would have required many workers to complete two years' service before becoming eligible for sponsorship. The union made clear that such restrictions were unfair, unreasonable and risked denying sponsorship opportunities to dedicated care workers despite them meeting Home Office salary requirements.

Alongside direct engagement with the employer, GMB also raised members' concerns with government and key stakeholders, ensuring workers' experiences and concerns were heard at every level. Throughout this process, GMB consistently argued for a fairer and more accessible approach to sponsorship for care workers.

HC-One's announcement is a significant step forward and a welcome victory for collective action. It demonstrates what can be achieved when workers come together through their union to raise concerns, challenge unfair policies and campaign for change.

While GMB recognises that some members may continue to face challenges under the revised criteria, this outcome represents a meaningful improvement for many workers and their families, providing greater certainty about their future.

GMB will continue to monitor the implementation of the new policy, support members through the sponsorship process and challenge any barriers that remain.

Natalie Grayson, GMB National Officer, said:

"This is a significant and welcome change by HC-One and one that follows sustained campaigning by GMB members and representatives.”

"Many workers told us they were deeply concerned about sponsorship delays, changing eligibility requirements and what this meant for their future. GMB listened to those concerns and took them directly to the company and other key stakeholders."

"The decision to reduce the service requirement to three months and extend eligibility to a much wider group of workers is a positive outcome for our members."

This demonstrates the strength of collective action. When workers organise and speak with one voice through their union, they can secure real improvements in their workplaces.

GMB will continue to work with members and HC-One to ensure these changes are implemented fairly and to press for further progress where necessary.

Posted on: 3 November 2025

International workers are the backbone holding up the health and social care

system in the UK. With 130,000 vacancies in care alone, there are 400,000

overseas workers who have been invited here to care for the elderly and

Vulnerable.

Without international workers, the sector, which is already in crisis, would have

collapsed long ago.

The new government threshold requires international workers to be earning £12.82

an hour to apply for a Health and Social Care VISA. Care work is undervalued and

underfunded with most workers pay being just above the minimum wage of £12.21.

Many employers will respond by ending the sponsorships of these workers,

pushing them into unemployment and poverty.

GMB are standing up for all workers in care and calling on the government to

Immediately:

• lower the sponsorship earnings threshold to align with average sector pay

• invest in funding the care sector overall and increasing wages

• invest in regional care initiatives that support displaced workers into better

employment

Following a petition issued by GMB to the Home Office, they have instructed the Migration Advisory Committee to conduct a review into earnings thresholds for Skilled Worker Visas. The Migration Advisory has previously recommended a new higher minimum wage for care.

Will Dalton

GMB National Officer for Care

Email will.dalton@gmb.org.uk

Posted on: 1 November 2024

Download these posters about the e-visa change to help spread the word!

gmb-visa-poster-general.pdf

evisa-step-by-step.pdf

Posted on: 8 October 2024

The UK Visa system is changing Again.

If you are living in the UK on a UK visa and you have a biometrics residence permit (a BRP).

Or are a holder of other physical immigration documents, including:

* passports containing visa vignette stickers or ink stamps (for those who hold indefinite leave to enter or indefinite leave to remain)
* BRCs

* If you are settled in the UK and do not have a document to prove your right to stay in the UK

This information is for you.

The UK government is getting rid of this card and other forms of visa ID mentioned above.

Instead, they are replacing it with doing an electronic service called an e-visa.

Not sure if this impacts you? Check here: Online immigration status (eVisa) - GOV.UK

What is an e-visa? – Home Office Video https://youtu.be/54rPXUHuM3I?si=CTfZOoqDZ2_ca9WX

By 31st December 2024, almost all BRPs expire and all other documentation need to be replaced with e-visas.

BUT that does not mean your visa will expire – your visa is still valid if it goes beyond that date.

Despite the Home office having all of your details they want you to register for the e-visa.

This is required and you must register for it before your BRP expires. And all BRPs expire together.

This will impact over 4 million workers who need to register for the e-visa.

Everyone can now register for your replacement e-visa. This has been the case since the 6th August 2024.

Do not wait for the Home Office to contact you to say it is your turn to apply.

Everyone can apply now.

You should not delay registering for an e-visa.

Technical difficulties, system overload, not being able to find your documents, not understanding the process, and the Home Office taking a few days to link your e-visa to your passport may all cause problems if you leave this to the last minute.

Give yourself time to register in case anything goes wrong.

You can start the registration and save your progress to complete later.

Do not throw away your expired BRP. You may need this for future immigration applications.

What you need:

The registration process will ask you to confirm information like your date of birth, your BRP number, your passport number, access to an email and a phone number.

But most importantly, part of the application has to be completed on a smartphone.

This is because you need to download the UK Immigration ID Check App to scan your documents and add your photo.

Individuals can nominate someone to help them through the registration – you can give them limited access to their account, so that they can assist with the registration such as creating a UKVI account, completing details to access an eVisa and help with uploading items through the app if you do not have a smartphone.

How to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa (Home Office video)

https://youtu.be/9IqAbBCfBYI?si=FgknfS3-cVgoqiCf

Our friends at migrant workers group POMOC have provided us with a handy written step by step guide which you can find here:  a-guide-to-applying-for-an-evisa.pdf

You can start the registration process here:

Get access to your eVisa: Get access to your eVisa: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Government Help with Registration

Customers can contact the UK Visas and Immigration Contact Centre, phone number 0300 790 6268, which provides support via email and webchat to those creating their UKVI account, and telephone support to those using the online immigration status services.

This includes supporting users through the online journey by helping them to access or recover their account, helping them to update their personal details and sharing status on behalf of individuals if they are unable to do so themselves.

The UK Visas and Immigration Contact Centre will also be able to assist users who are experiencing technical issues with their online immigration status, and where necessary, enable individuals’ status to be verified through alternative means.

Other help

The Home Office recently awarded £4,000,000 to organisations that are supposed to assist people with eVisa applications. The main organisations are:

England: Migrant Help

• Telephone: 07483 170100
• Email: evisa@migranthelpuk.org

Scotland: Citizens Advice Scotland

• Telephone: 0800 028 1456
• Email: info@cas.org.uk

Wales: Welsh Refugee Council

• Telephone: 0808 196 7273
• Email: info@wrc.wales

Northern Ireland: Advice NI

• Telephone: 0800 915 4604
• Email: advice@adviceni.net

Additionally, if you are not confident about using a computer or a smartphone, you may be able

to get support from We Are Group, an organisation contracted by the Home Office to provide

support for UKVI digital services.

We Are Group

visa@we-are-digital.co.uk

Text ‘VISA’ and a number to call you on to 07537 416 944 Telephone: 03333 445 675

Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm

What to expect after you have submitted your application and how to use your eVisa

You might not be able to view your eVisa because the Home Office first needs to create an account for you on their end and process your application. It can take a few weeks before the Home Office links your account. You will receive an email confirmation from the Home Office when your eVisa is ready.

To access and view your eVisa go to: https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-.... You will then be able to generate a share code to prove your right to live, rent and work in the UK.

How to travel with your eVisa (video)

https://youtu.be/xdZLXvfau2A?si=grB_oh7WtccPUq1R

Still not sure if this impacts you?

Full guidance is available here: Online immigration status (eVisa) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

And here: Media factsheet: eVisas – Home Office in the media (blog.gov.uk)

All information in this log has been provided to the GMB Union from the Home Office, Dept. of Health and Social Care and migrant activist groups and is true at the time of publishing.

We have compiled this information for ease of access for all workers impacted by these changes.

Further help and assistance should be sought, without delay, from the Home Office or the support groups mentioned above.